Basic Biographical Details

Name: George Gunn
Designation:  
Born: 1873
Died: 23 March 1950
Bio Notes: George Gunn was born at 18 Hopehill Road, Glasgow on 28 April 1873, the son of Daniel Urquhart Gunn, commercial clerk and accountant, and his wife Annie Wotherspoon Speirs. He was articled to James Ritchie of Glasgow in November 1886, studying at Glasgow School of Art under Francis H Newbery. After completing his apprenticeship in January 1891 he obtained a position as a junior draughtsman in the more up-to-date office of Stark & Rowntree, but just seven months later he moved to Penryn, Cornwall to work for the West of England Granite Company as architectural assistant, superintending the stone-cutting and masonry works there. He returned to Glasgow in January 1893, entering the tramways department of Glasgow Corporation as an assistant, and a year later moved to Ayr to work for James Archibald Morris and James Kennedy Hunter, who at that time also had a London office. Gunn passed the qualifying exam in November 1894 in Glasgow and was admitted ARIBA on 11 March 1895, his proposers being Morris, William Forrest Salmon and Thomas Lennox Watson.

Although architects who had passed the qualifying exam were rare in Scotland at the time, Gunn was content to work first as an assistant to Alexander Cullen in Motherwell and then as principal assistant to John Campbell McKellar with a view to a partnership, supervising the more junior assistant William Stephen Gibson in both practices. The McKellar practice was almost exclusively tenement work but was immensely prosperous until 1907 when the business began to decline. A partnership did not materialize until c.1911 or 1912 when the firm became McKellar, Davis & Gunn. Davis's role is unclear and his background has so far proved untraceable. He appears to have withdrawn or died in 1914 as thereafter the practice was known as McKellar & Gunn, Gunn having briefly worked in partnership with Frederick V Burke, the surviving partner of William Tennant & Fred V Burke, the previous year; the latter had not lasted either as Burke had a serious drink problem.

The practice of McKellar & Gunn continued until the later 1920s when Gunn took rooms of his own in Burnet's new building for the North British & Mercantile Company at 200 St Vincent Street, Glasgow.

Gunn died at 7 Park Circus Place, Glasgow on 23 March 1950.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 854, Maxwell Road, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1886 *  
Item 2 of 87, Westbank Quadrant, Hillhead, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1887After 1895 
Item 3 of 8158, Hill Street, Garnethill, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1899After 1909 
Item 4 of 8103, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1900 *  
Item 5 of 8Gresham Chambers/45, West Nile Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1902Late 1920s 
Item 6 of 89, Windsor Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 19141950 
Item 7 of 895, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1919 *  
Item 8 of 8200, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1929After 1939 

* earliest date known from documented sources.


Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 8James RitchieNovember 1886January 1891Apprentice 
Item 2 of 8Stark & RowntreeJanuary 1891August 1891Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 8Morris & HunterJanuary 18941895Assistant 
Item 4 of 8Alexander Cullen1895Before 1902Assistant(?)Mentioned by Gunn in his Proposer's Separate Statement for William Brown's LRIBA nomination papers
Item 5 of 8John Campbell McKellarBefore 19021911 or 1912Principal Assistant 
Item 6 of 8McKellar Davis & Gunn1911 or 1912c. 1914Partner 
Item 7 of 8George Gunn & Fred V Burkec. 1913(?)c. 1914(?)Partner 
Item 8 of 8McKellar & Gunnc. 1913Before 1929Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3James Archibald Morris11 March 1895for Associateship
Item 2 of 3William Forrest Salmon11 March 1895for Associateship
Item 3 of 3Thomas Lennox Watson11 March 1895for Associateship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3John Ballantine20 March 1911for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3William Brown20 March 1911for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3William Stephen Gibson20 July 1911for Licentiateship

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 291890Tenements of Mansion FlatsHyndland GlasgowScotland 
Item 2 of 291893Coplawhill Tramway Works and Tram Depot  GlasgowScotlandAs assistant
Item 3 of 291893Dalhousie Street Tram Depot  GlasgowScotlandAs assistant
Item 4 of 291893Dalmarnock Tram DepotDalmarnock GlasgowScotlandAs assistant
Item 5 of 291893Horse Tramway Depot  GlasgowScotlandAs assistant
Item 6 of 291893Kelvinhaugh Tram DepotKelvinhaugh GlasgowScotlandAs assistant
Item 7 of 291893Springburn Tram DepotSpringburn GlasgowScotlandAs assistant
Item 8 of 291897Ferguson Memorial ChurchSpringburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 291899The Knowe and LodgePollokshields GlasgowScotlandAddition
Item 10 of 291900Design for unspecified artist's studio  GlasgowScotland 
Item 11 of 291901Dalmarnock Congregational ChurchDalmarnock GlasgowScotland 
Item 12 of 291902ArderyTroon AyrshireScotland 
Item 13 of 291902OaklandsPollokshields GlasgowScotlandAs chief assistant to John Campbell McKellar
Item 14 of 291902RedhillsPollokshields GlasgowScotland 
Item 15 of 291903Mansion Flats, 25-53 Lancaster Avenue  GlasgowScotland 
Item 16 of 291904Gresham Chambers  GlasgowScotland 
Item 17 of 291904Terrace of houses, Montgomery DriveKelvinside GlasgowScotland 
Item 18 of 291905LochgreenSouthwood, Troon AyrshireScotlandPrepared designs on which house was based - as chief assistant to John Campbell McKellar
Item 19 of 291905Tenements, Parkhead Cross, Tollcross Road and Westmuir Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 20 of 29Before 1906Hood Memorial ChurchBridgeton GlasgowScotland 
Item 21 of 2919078, 9 Lancaster CrescentKelvinside GlasgowScotland 
Item 22 of 291911Dalmarnock Congregational Church HallDalmarnock GlasgowScotland 
Item 23 of 291913Botchergate KinemaCarlisle CumberlandEnglandProbably responsible for the design
Item 24 of 291913Picture House and Tea RoomsDumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 25 of 291921Parkhead Picture PalaceParkhead GlasgowScotlandDesign of building
Item 26 of 291924Redlands Terrace  GlasgowScotland 
Item 27 of 291927Picture PalaceGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 28 of 291929Botchergate KinemaCarlisle CumberlandEnglandExtensions
Item 29 of 291933Cinema, Hillington GardensCardonald GlasgowScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 3Post Office Directories     
Item 3 of 3Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Architect and Building News31 March 1950  p330 - obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Personal information from Alfred G Lochhead; additional research by Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v12 p146 (microfiche 57/G3)